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Message started by LS650THUMPER on 06/21/16 at 17:08:41

Title: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by LS650THUMPER on 06/21/16 at 17:08:41

Anyone heard that Kawasaki is making the bigger Boulevards..? And Suzuki makes the Artic cat 4wheeler engines!!!!

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by Kris01 on 06/21/16 at 17:24:32

Nope. Why would they do that?

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/21/16 at 17:43:31

They have collaborated.

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by Kris01 on 06/21/16 at 17:50:20

It has to be about the money. Isn't it always?

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by oldNslow on 06/21/16 at 18:01:50

Well, I found this:

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/kawasaki-suzuki-to-stop-selling-each-others-motorcycles

It's pretty old though.

I haven't seen anything recently on the subject.

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/21/16 at 18:12:33

5E677C662524150 wrote:

It has to be about the money. Isn't it always?

Pontiac Vibe was a Toyota Matrix

A good business deal is a good business deal.
If I can contract with a company to build me a machine to fill a gap in my lineup for less than I can tool up and build it, why not? Back when America BUILT stuff, finding a product manufactured by a company with a badge from another was common enough.

It's not Bad to make money.

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by KennyG on 06/21/16 at 18:13:01

My brother had a big Kawasaki cruiser that was identical to a guy that worked for me Suzuki Cruiser. One was green the other was burgundy

Both models would have been from earlier in the 2000's era.

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by pg on 06/21/16 at 18:55:15

Do you remember the model numbers?

Best regards,

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by KennyG on 06/21/16 at 20:38:45

PG,

I can try to find out, both guys are old so there memory is like mine.

I am thinking the Vulcan 900 Classic and the Boulevard C50, I wouldn't want wager the grocery money.

Since my brother had a sidecar on his it may have been a bigger Kawasaki Model.

When the bikes were parked next to each other they were identical except for the color, trim and name badges.

I will try to get a hold of one of the two guys.

Kenny G

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by pg on 06/21/16 at 21:23:34

No telling anymore. Most BMW parts are made in south east asia and they are assembled to Germany. Goldwings are assembled in Ohio. :o

Best regards,

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by KennyG on 06/21/16 at 21:50:54

PG,

Honda quit making motorcycle in Marysville 7 or 8 years ago and went back to Japan to produce motorcycles.

I think the original move here 40 years ago was to avoid the high tariffs that were imposed to protect Harley Davidson from the Japanese invasion.

Kenny G

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by WD on 06/21/16 at 22:48:59

Way back when... Kawasaki made the VN1500 and VN1600 Mean Streak. Suzuki added an ugly as sin headlight and badges, and sold them as Volusias.

The VN900 is a bored and stroked VN800, with a factory installed Scoot Works belt kit (front pulley is too small, eats belts) and Honda fuel injection (Bosch knockoff).

The C50 is an 800 Intruder engine with one head flipped around to fit a single fuel metering device and same side exhaust exits.

The funniest badge engineered Kawasakis? The Evolution and Twin Cam Harley Davidson Big Twins, 1984.5-current. Those are 100% Japanese designed engines... Kawasaki, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Yamaha all supply parts for the Twin Cam engine, the suspension is Honda, as are the brakes.

Title: Re: suzuki kawasaki venture. bigger boulevards
Post by KennyG on 06/21/16 at 23:10:23

My niece is a purchasing manager at Harley's York, Pennsylvania plant and Harley does so much business with the Japanese they only change the exchange rate once a month.

My nephew is a quality control engineer on the trike assembly line in the same plant and they get a lot of Chinese made parts to evaluate. He says that there is no other wheeled vehicle with a better fit and finish than the Harley Trike coming off of the assembly line in York.

He rides a Kawasaki Sport bike.... LOL

Kenny G